Tourism Authority hopes for higher influx of travelers this year

José Antonio De Gracia ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) / PANAMA AMERICA

They look to recover the hotel business that fell 7.1% in the first half of the year.

This year it is hoped that a total of 2.2 million hikers will enter the country, lured by the various tourist attractions on the Isthmus, informed the administer of the Panama Tourism Authority, Salomón Shamah.

In recent years, Panama has established itself as one of the top tourism markets across Central America. It has achieved this thanks to the country's economic boom, construction of megaprojects and by positioning itself as a destination for shopping, conferences and conventions, beach tourism, and more.

The main markets that send travelers to the Isthmus are countries like the United States, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

During the first half of 2012, a total of 1,075,981 visitors entered the country, which is 5.2% more than the previous year, when 1,022,000 tourists were recorded. Tocumen International Airport continues to be the main port of entry to the country.